1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a content combination reproducer (a player that plays back contents such as video contents or audio contents), a content combination reproduction method, a program executing the method, and a recording medium recording therein the program that can provide various content related information and various services, including a chance to play games, as a combination operation while reproducing contents and, in relation to the contents, metadata which is information representing the contents and, at the same time, allow not only the content provider but also a third party to provide additional information, services, and games.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 1, an example of a conventional content combination reproduction system will be described. In the figure, the symbol ba indicates a content provider system that comprises a content delivery server 9a1, a delivery content storage unit 4a11, a related information delivery server 9a2, and a delivery related information storage unit 4a12. The numeral 1a indicates a content combination reproduction system that comprises a user terminal 2a and a keyboard 2a7. The user terminal 2a has content reproducing means 2a1, related information accessing means 2aa, a content display window 2a5, and a related information display window 2a6. Reproduced contents are displayed in the content display window 2a5, and obtained related information is displayed in the related information display window 2a6. The symbol aa indicates a network. The content provider stores delivery contents 5a in the delivery content storage unit 4a11 and, at the same time, creates related information 8a on the contents in advance and stores the created information in the delivery related information storage unit 4a12.
In the conventional content combination reproduction system 1a shown in FIG.1, the contents 5a stored in the delivery content storage unit 4a11 are delivered from the content delivery server 9a1 to the user terminal 2a via the network aa and are displayed in the content display window 2a5 by the content reproducing means 2a1. A “related information address” fa1 indicating the location of related information on the contents is included in the display. The “related information address” fa1, embedded in the delivered contents, is sent to the user terminal. Upon finding the display, the user of the user terminal 2a enters the “related information address” fa1 from the keyboard 2a7. This causes the related information accessing means 2aa to return related information 8a, which is stored in the delivery related information storage unit 4a12 connected to the related information delivery server 9a2 corresponding to the address fa1, to the user terminal 2a via the network aa and displays the related information in the related information display window 2a6.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of content charge payment in the conventional content combination reproduction system. In the figure, the numeral b6 indicates a content provider system, the numeral 16 indicates a content combination reproduction system (user terminal), the numeral d6 indicates a content charge settlement system, and the numeral e6 indicates a payment system.
When an audience has an audience's account e61 in the payment system e6, the content charge is paid according to the following flow. First, an audience who uses the user terminal 16 views the contents provided by the content provider system b6 (step S911). Content usage information is sent from the user terminal 16 to the content charge settlement system d6 (step S913).
The content charge settlement system d6 calculates the content charge based on the content usage information sent from the user terminal 16, requests the payment system e6 to transfer the content charge from the audience's account e61 and, after completion of the transfer, receives the completion notification (step S915). The content charge settlement system d6 sends the content charge, collected from the audience, and its notification to the content provider system b6 (step S917).
In the conventional content combination reproduction system, content reproduction and a combination operation, such as content-related information provision, content-related service provision, and content-related game chance provision, are performed somewhat independently as described above.
In addition, content reproduction and the combination operation, such as content-related information provision, content-related service provision, and content-related game chance provision, are done by the content provider or by very limited providers that have obtained permission from the content provider. A content charge is sent from an audience to the content provider.
Because content reproduction and the combination operation, such as content-related information provision, content-related service provision, and content-related game chance provision, are performed in the conventional content combination reproduction system somewhat independently as described above, the problems given below arise.
That is, the combination operation, such as information provision or service provision related to content reproduction, cannot be controlled flexibly; for example, the combination operation cannot be synchronized with content reproduction or associated with the particular details on the contents. For example, when a car appears during video content reproduction, the problem is that advertisement information on the car cannot be displayed as related information at the same time the car is displayed.